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Ben became interested in Mongolia early in life.
本從小就對蒙古國產(chǎn)生了濃厚的興趣。
When he was 9 years old, he read a book about Marco Polo, about how Marco Polo traveled with his uncles on the ultimate business trip to the Mongol Empire at its height.
9歲的時候，他讀了一本有關(guān)馬可·波羅的書，這本書講述了馬克·波羅跟隨叔叔踏上經(jīng)商之旅并最終抵達正處于鼎盛時期的蒙古帝國的故事。
Marco Polo’s trip lasted almost a quarter of a century, during which he grew up, mastered Mongolian, gained the confidence of the Mongol emperor, and then eventually returned home with fantastic tales of strange lands and stranger people.
馬克·波羅的旅程持續(xù)了將近四分之一個世紀，期間他長大成人，掌握了蒙古語，還取得了蒙古皇帝的信任，最后帶著異國土地和異國人民的奇妙故事，回到了家鄉(xiāng)。
The story of Marco Polo fascinated Ben.
馬可·波羅的故事讓本心馳神往。
Ben tried to save money from his first job delivering newspapers with an eye toward a $3,000-trip to Mongolia.
本一心想用3000美元去一趟蒙古，于是他決心通過自己的第一份工作——送報紙——把錢省下來。
But in those days, it would take him years to have the money ready.
但那個年代，要湊夠這么一筆錢需要他花上數(shù)年的時間。
So he continued to read about Mongolia in the meantime, but spent most of his teenage years in the Arab world, where he learned the language and became interested in journalism.
于是他一邊工作，一邊繼續(xù)閱讀有關(guān)蒙古國的書籍，但他的青少年時期大部分時間是在阿拉伯國家度過的，他在那兒學會了阿拉伯語，并對新聞工作產(chǎn)生了興趣。
He took courses in classical and modern Mongolian while studying for his master's degree and found it very difficult.
他在攻讀碩士學位期間選擇了古典蒙古語和現(xiàn)代蒙古語課程，發(fā)現(xiàn)非常難學。
But he still wants to visit Mongolia,
但他依然想去蒙古，
"in the spring or summer," he said, "Mongolian winters, when temperatures drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius, are not for me."
"春天或夏天吧，" 他說，"蒙古一到冬天溫度就降會到零下30度，不適合我。"
"The price today with an upscale company is reasonable," Ben said,
"如今高端旅游公司的價格比較合理，"本說，
"Compared to the $3,000 it was back in 1971, today the same trip is around $5,000, which, though still a large sum, is, in terms of inflation, a good bargain."
"與1971年的3000美元相比，現(xiàn)在去一趟蒙古需要5000美元左右，盡管仍然是筆大錢，但考慮到通貨膨脹，就很劃算了。"
